By Qaiser Mohammad Ali, IANS
New Delhi : In-form opener Gautam Gambhir, unlucky to miss out on the ongoing Test series in Australia due to a shoulder injury, is hoping to make up in the upcoming one-day triangular series Down Under.
For the present, Gambhir has his eyes trained on the Ranji Trophy final. Before the Indian team for the triangular series is announced Gambhir will lead Delhi in the Ranji final against Uttar Pradesh in Mumbai from Wednesday.
“That’s my immediate goal – I am going in with just one goal and that’s to win (Ranji title). But I am (also) looking forward to the ODI triangular series because I have been playing well,” Gambhir told IANS here.
The triangular, which also involves Sri Lanka, starts with an India-Australia match in Brisbane Feb 3.
Gambhir is not overly worried about selection as he has been in tremendous form in one-day and Twenty20 cricket before the injury put a break to a string of fine scores.
“I have always believed in not worrying about being selected; only about getting runs. Because scoring runs gives me more happiness than being selected or not selected,” he said philosophically. “My job is to go out there and get runs.”
Left-handed Gambhir realised he had tendonitis in his shoulder on the fifth day of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Bangalore last month. He was advised three weeks’ rest, and Virender Sehwag, who initially was not even among the 24 probables, was picked on the basis of his good record against Australia.
“Missing the (Test) tour because of the shoulder injury was very disappointing,” the Delhi captain said after a practice session with his Delhi teammates at the Ferozeshah Kotla.
“It was very disappointing because when you are doing well, you are in good form, you want to last long and play as many games as possible,” said the 26-year-old batsman.
Although Gambhir missed the Test series in Australia, he is happy that it was his close friend Sehwag, with whom he has opened the batting for India several times, who took his place.
“It was frustrating, but at the same time I was really happy for Sehwag. He is a great player and deserves to be there. He has done fantastically well at the Test level, actually at every level. He is a great asset to every side he plays for.”
Gambhir’s recovery from the shoulder injury – thanks also to Delhi team’s physiotherapist Badrinath – was evident from his performance in the two Ranji Trophy matches that he played after the forced rest.
In the last Elite Group A match against Tamil Nadu in Chennai, Gambhir scored 84 and 40 to help Delhi enter the semi-finals on a confident note. Then, in the semi-final against Baroda in Indore Jan 5-8, his timely 132 in the second innings ensured Delhi’s passage into their first final in 11 years.